The Operatives Episode 6: The Red in the Sky
by TrueThought
Summary: The joint governments of Mandalore want the Operatives to oversee the surrender of the Death Watch but the negotiations never begin. An act of terrorism calls off the talks; why and who seems like a mystery until a member of the Separatist Council offers to give them the answer in return for her safety as she wishes to defect.
1. Chapter 1

**A.N.** This was originally two episodes but neither would be long enough and I've managed to link them together. The good news about that is that Obi-Wan will be back next episode (spoilers! sort of, but honestly we know he has to come back - it's not an AU, I like the character too much). Anyway, for those who liked the first episode we're going to spend the first part of the episode with the Mandalorian characters again - and not for the last time either. So enjoy! And review!

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Chapter One: In which the Operatives return to old issues.

Bail Organa made his way through the crowds of people filling the foyer of the Opera House; they were ten minutes into the interval and the auditorium had emptied. Partly because of this it took him several minutes to find the others.  
It had been the Sate Pestage's idea originally, to have the Operatives appear at a public event the Chancellor was also attending, in order to demonstrate that the unit still had his support. Despite the fact that it wasn't true the Palpatine had latched onto the idea and extended an invitation to the two senators and the Jedi Master and, despite Kit Fisto's best efforts to be off-planet when the day arrived, they had all found themselves at the Opera House to enjoy a production of _The Hero of Troiken_, an opera about the militarist Ranulph Tarkin, now being painted as a patriotic visionary. Kit had muttered darkly about the liberties the production was taking with history for most of the first half. Bail had found himself fiercely reminded of his friend Obi-Wan Kenobi in the character of Tarkin, which hadn't helped his enjoyment of the evening. Ironically they were both soldiers, both celebrated for it – but while Tarkin would have been proud of his legacy, Bail knew Obi-Wan would have hated being remembered as a general first and foremost; he wouldn't have seen it as anything to be proud of. He'd been almost relieved when his commlink had sounded ten minutes from the interval, for an excuse to leave even with several dark looks in his direction.  
He finally spotted Padme Amidala and Kit Fisto in conversation with the Chancellor and a couple of other senators. Kit looked up, a little too eagerly.  
"Who called you?" he asked, practically pulling Bail into the group and whispering in his ear, "I'm begging you to stop them talking about budgets!"  
Bail bit down a laugh, "Excuse me, senators; I and my colleagues need to talk to the Chancellor."  
Palpatine gave him a puzzled look, perhaps with a touch of amusement, as the senators drifted away into the crowd, "Is there a problem Senator Organa?"  
"That was Masaad Meric, on Mandalore. The Death Watch have made an offer to the joint government – they want to meet to discuss terms of surrender and Duchess Satine and Mandalore Reau want the Operatives to be present."  
Padme and Kit glanced at the Chancellor. Ever since the disastrous mission to New Plympto Palpatine hadn't sent the Operatives on a mission even though a couple of diplomatic incidents had flared up within the Republic which, Bail felt, he and the others could have handled. Perhaps he felt he'd been right when he'd suggested the unit couldn't survive without Obi-Wan; or maybe he no longer trusted them to do as they were told. Now, none of them were sure how he was going to react.  
"You want to go don't you?" he asked eventually.  
"It doesn't seem to involve much work," Bail pointed out, "it's just our presence that's required; the Death Watch are on the point of surrender and capitulation. Besides," he looked round and the others at this point, "it was our first mission together and of personal interest to Master Kenobi. It seems fitting, for his sake as much as our own, that we see the end of the issue."  
Palpatine studied him for a while and Bail wondered briefly if he was despairing at the sentimentality of his last statement. Then he nodded.  
"Of course, I understand the significance. My best wishes go with you but don't stay away too long; you may be needed again soon."  
As he walked away Kit muttered, "We're not holding our breath."

The sun of Mandalore hit shone down on the plains of Mandalore as the squadron of twelve speeder-bikes flew through the hills. Dropping into the valley they came to a stop several yards from the Republic cruiser that had landed on the plains.  
Duchess Satine Kryze climbed off her bike and pulled off her flight helmet, "Good to see you all again. Senator Organa, thanks for agreeing to come."  
Bail, Padme and Kit walked across the grass to join her and the others. Bail shook Satine's proffered hand, "We're glad to be of service Duchess – for many reasons."  
Satine indicated her companions, "You know Commander Priest and Mandalore Reau; have you met former-general Masaad Meric?"  
"We've heard good things about him," Kit assured her, throwing a vague salute to Meric.  
"I'm still not sure why you asked us to meet you all the way out here," Padme put in.  
"The Death Watch didn't want us to bring too much by way of military and technological support," Dred Priest replied. "If you landed much closer they'd think the Republic was ready to wade in if things go sour."  
"Do you think they will?" Bail asked.  
Dred shrugged, "Maybe."  
Three of the Mandalorian warriors accompanying them climbed off their speeder-bikes.  
"They'll guard the ship while we're talking to the Death Watch," Isabet told them. "We're aiming to get to Calyda tomorrow morning so we'll need to cover thirty miles before dark."  
"At least you're not making us walk," Kit muttered .

"Why did the Death Watch want to meet in a small town in the hills?" Bail asked as the warriors set up camp that evening.  
"Neutral ground?" Meric suggested. "To be honest I don't think they actually said. Personally, because we've been running them into the ground lately, I think they wanted to meet somewhere where they were sure we weren't just going to blow them up."  
He looked at Bail, "We were all sorry to hear about Obi-Wan's death."  
Bail nodded over at Satine, "How sad?"  
"Dred expressed pride at the news that he died in battle. Satine is coping, about as well as I am – or about as well as you all are. How's his padawan?"  
"Being trained by someone else at the moment. Honestly I haven't spoken to him much but – well we may be coping more than him. Of course he was on Jabiim at the time so I imagine he's blaming himself."  
"Jabiim was a mess."  
"That's a mild description."  
By the campfire one of the warriors started to play a slow tune on a stringed instrument; others joined him and started to hum along.  
"Mandalorian warriors," Meric murmured, "can fight _and_ sing."  
""The most surprising people in the galaxy," Bail agreed.

Padme stood at the top of a rise, looking out across the plains, her back to the campfire. The others had settled down by its light and were happily chatting over the music that was still being played. She felt the wind blow in her face as the tune the warrior was singing melded with her memories.  
_"Is there a reason you're not dancing?"  
She smiled as she heard Obi-Wan's voice, and turned to look back towards the room of dancing couples.  
"I'm not great at dancing, especially the Chandrilan waltz."  
He laughed, "You should see how Bail's getting on!"  
Then as the music changed he bowed, "The Alderanian reel, though, that everyone knows so may I have this dance?"  
She gave him a small curtsey and let him take her in his arms and guide her around the veranda.  
"So, as we haven't had much chance to talk in a while, how are you doing?"  
She shrugged, "Around what time am I supposed to get used to this war? I'll manage I should think. What about you?"  
She thought he would ignore the question, or avoid it by asking another question; but he didn't.  
"I've been better than I was," he admitted. "Vokara Che isn't nagging me so much so I assume I'm on the mend."  
"Are you ever going to finish mending?"  
He shook his head, "Nobody knows. This is something we have to take as it comes. Right now I'm doing good, so we have to be content with that. Look out, dipping you!"  
She was laughing as he pulled her up again. Then she saw, as his expression settled again, a flicker of pain in his eyes.  
"What is it? Sorry, am I too heavy?"  
"No, I'm just thinking."  
Mental pain then, as supposed to the physical kind. "What about?"  
"Sorry, Padme – I've just been thinking about Qui-Gon more recently."  
"Is that a bad thing?"  
He sighed, "I just wish – that he'd lived – that I hadn't had to train Anakin alone. Sometimes Jedi can achieve a sort of immortality in death and return to us as ghosts."  
She could see a kind of dead hope in his eyes, "I mean, I wasn't expecting exact instructions exactly but a bit of subtle guidance wouldn't go amiss. I've just – it's always felt like I was on my own."  
"You're _not_ alone Obi-Wan."  
"I'm not now," he looked directly at her then, "that's why you and the other two mean so much to me, why this team means so much."  
She would've have answered then but Kit's voice cut her off, saying, "Do we all get to dance with Padme or is it just you?"  
_Kit put a hand on her shoulder, "You alright?"  
Padme shook her head, trying to disguise the tears, "I don't think Jedi can come back as ghosts; if they could, wouldn't Obi-Wan? You'd think he, of all people-"  
She broke off, unable to go on.  
Kit turned her to face him and smiled, "While the Mandalorians warble on, shall you and I dance Senator?"  
She smiled through her tears and settled into his arms.

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**A.N.** Sorry, another flashback - but I like them!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: In which the negotiations are ended permanently.

Kit tried to bend his neck round the other way in an effort to end the pain, "You're Mandalorian plains are very beautiful but they are really uncomfortable!"  
The warrior who was packing up the tackle shrugged, "We did offer you the full sleeping bag."  
"That thing had stuff growing in it," Kit retorted.  
"And I thought Jedi were supposed to be warriors," the warrior muttered.  
Kit chuckled and wandered over to where Bail and Padme were talking to Satine, Dred, Meric and Isabet.  
"So what exactly do you want us to do?" Bail was asking.  
"Smile, look plausible, stay sober – the whole she-bang," Dred said. "This is a surrender discussion, nothing more."  
"We do, however, need to show them some respect," Meric added, with a smile and a tone of humorous indulgence, "so we shouldn't go in with the attitude that we've won, so much as we've come to an agreement."  
"They don't have a choice," Dred muttered.  
Isabet placed a hand on his arm, "Leave it sweetheart."  
He sighed, "Alright."  
"If the Death Watch understand that we have Republican support – or at the very least that you care enough to send someone to oversee the end of this issue," Satine put in. "It'll help I promise."  
"I'm sure it will," Bail smiled.  
A second later he stumbled as a set of shockwaves rumbled through the ground under his feet. Everyone turned to see a cloud of fire and smoke rising over the horizon. The sound of the explosion hit them, causing them to cower and cover their ears. The fire of the explosion faded into black smoke, which billowed upwards and over.  
Three minutes of silence elapsed as they watched it. Then slowly Bail turned to Satine and Meric.  
"What is that?"  
Satine's face was pale, "I think that's – that _was_ - Calyda."  
Meric turned to Dred, who nodded. He beckoned one of the warriors over, "Take backup and get down there – find out what's happened."  
The warrior nodded and hurried back towards the remains of the camp. Padme and Kit came over to Bail.  
"What happens now?" Padme asked.  
"It rather depends," Bail murmured. "Do you think the Death Watch group were already there?"  
"That aside," Kit put in, "I think a lot of people are going to want to know exactly how many people just got hit by a missile of some kind."  
Padme closed her eyes, "Oh, please no…"  
"Whoever launched that missile is in trouble," Kit continued.

It took several hours, almost half the day, before they heard anything. By that time the Republic cruiser had caught up with them.  
As it landed Bail grimaced, "Great, just what we need; official concern."  
"Just let them do their job," Padme muttered. "At times like this it makes a difference being able to do your job."  
Bail glanced back up the hill, "The warriors are back; let's hope they have something."  
At that point Satine beckoned to them. Padme put a hand on his arm, "I'll talk to the Justice Department boys."  
Bail nodded and set off up the hill to join the others; Kit was already there with a grim look on his face which made something tighten in his throat.  
"How bad is it?"  
"A big missile and a direct hit on Calyda," Isabet explained. "There wasn't much left."  
"No survivors?"  
"Emergency teams are there now to try and confirm the facts but no, it's not likely."  
Kit dropped his eyes to the ground, possibly to hide the emotion. Bail turned his head, trying not to look at Satine or Meric. Down the hill he saw that the Justice Department officials had passed Padme and were making their way towards them.  
"Senator," their leader said as they reached them, "I'm sorry but we have to make an arrest."  
"Excuse me?"  
The man ignored him and turned to Dred, "Commander Priest, I'm afraid I'll have to take you into Republic custody on suspicion of an act of terrorism."  
"What act of terrorism?" Isabet asked, looking shocked.  
The officer pointed to the cloud of black smoke still resting on the horizon, "That one."  
"That's ridiculous!" Bail said sharply.  
"I'm sorry – we have our orders."  
"You don't have the authority to arrest him on this planet," Satine put in, "especially for an offence _committed_ on this planet."  
"Wait a second," Bail interrupted, "how can you have orders? It happened several hours ago but you can't have any evidence yet as to who committed it, much less orders that go above and beyond the planetary government."  
The officer produced a data-card which he handed to Satine, "I'm sorry; these orders come from the top."  
Meric looked over Satine's shoulder at the data-card; then he turned to Dred who had, almost unconsciously put his arms around his wife in a protective fashion. Both looked afraid.  
"We can't argue with this – I'm sorry Dred."  
Dred nodded slowly, "You want to take me away now?"  
The officer nodded.  
Dred turned to Isabet and enfolded her in an embrace. Bail and Kit turned away, conscious that they were intruding on a very private moment. When Dred pulled away from Isabet he put his helmet on his head, hiding all emotion from the rest of the world, so that only his wife would ever truly know how he was feeling at that moment. The officer nodded to his colleagues who led Dred Priest away down the hill towards the cruiser.  
"Senator," he said, turning to Bail, "will you be coming back to Corescant with us?"  
Bail paused, looking at Isabet who gently shook her head; much as he would have liked to stay with Dred at this point she was telling him it wasn't necessary – or it wasn't what he wanted.  
"No, I think we'll be staying to keep an eye on the situation here," he said, giving her a quick nod to show her that he'd got the point.  
"We'll be able to give you a ship," Meric assured him.  
The officer nodded and followed his men and Dred Priest down the hill. Bail and Kit followed them until they met Padme halfway.  
"What do we do now?" she asked.  
Kit and Bail looked at one another.  
"I've no idea," Bail said, watching the Mandalorian commander being put on the ship. "I honestly don't have an idea."

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**A.N.** Don't worry, this plot thread will be picked up in a later episode. This was originally the end of one episode - but I've got another plot linked in! Please review - it makes me happier! I'll try and get the next chapter up soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: In which Bail receives a rather late tip-off.

The emergency relief teams had been at Calyda for over three hours. No survivors had been found.  
Kit climbed out of the crater that had been made from the town. Bail and Padme were sitting at the makeshift equipment station with hot drinks; both of them looked as dirty and tired as Kit felt himself.  
"How long are they going to stay here?" he asked as he approached.  
"Until tomorrow probably," Bail muttered.  
"Have we heard anything from Keldabe?"  
"It was an 87Y2 missile launched from a Basilisk War Droid in the upper atmosphere," Padme said, "and not many people have Basilisk War Droids round here; even in Keldabe they're scarce."  
"Doesn't mean they couldn't have found one somewhere else."  
"I'm pointing out the opposing view," Padme replied patiently, "that's my job."  
Kit nodded, "Sorry – I'm wound a bit tight at the moment."  
"Welcome to the ever-expanding club," Bail said. "To be honest there's nothing much more we can do here. I'd like to get back to Corescant and shout at whoever it was sent out orders to the Justice Department people on the ground but failed to discuss it with us."  
"And if we can't find him," Kit said, grinning a little for the first time in hours, "we shout at Pestage."  
"Now that sounds good," Padme said standing up. Bail was about to follow when his commlink buzzed.  
He took it out and turned it on, "Hello?"  
The female voice that he heard was filled with fear, "Senator Organa I have only a few minutes so I can't say much. I have information that a terrorist attack will be launched on a town in the Mandalore countryside very soon; I can give you the details."  
Bail frowned, "Just the one?"  
The pause betrayed her surprise, "Yes."  
"Then I'm afraid you're several hours too late."  
There was another pause. Then the voice spoke again, with even more desperation," Senator Organa, I'm Rogwa Wodrata, formally the senator for Alliga and Phelleem sector as a whole. I wish to defect and I can tell you who ordered the terrorist attack and who carried it out; I fear that it is only a matter of time before they catch up with me so I'll need someone to escort me to Corescant. I'll be in the Retrech Cantina in the main square of the Cerean capital at midday in a week's time. Please have someone there to meet me."  
Bail took a breath, "I'll come myself."  
Wodrata said nothing else and closed the link. Bail looked up at the others, "One of the Seperatist Council wants to defect; she'll be on Cerea in seven days."  
Kit frowned, "You think she means it?"  
"She sounded scared enough – and she says she can give us the names of those involved with the bombing. So if it's true we can clear Dred's name completely."  
"A job for the Operatives then?" Padme grinned.  
"Who else?" Bail said. "I'll go and tell Satine we need to leave."  
"We're borrowing one of her ships?" Kit asked.  
"We only have seven days to get there on time," Bail pointed out.  
"I'm just wondering if there isn't a better form of transport," Kit murmured. "We don't need to get Mandalorians involved – in any case, one of their ships gets recognised everywhere. Do you think that exploration crew you went into Deep Core with will be on assignment?"  
"The _Pioneer_?"  
"A rather old make, usually unremarkable – what could be better?"  
"Kit, that's genius!"  
"I occasionally manage it," Kit assured him with a grin.

"When do you leave?" Satine asked him.  
"The Pioneer will pick us up from Sundari so we'll need transport that far," Bail explained. "At the very least we need three days to get o Cerea from here."  
She nodded. They both looked down the hill to where Isabet and Meric were holding discussions with the emergency teams.  
"Isabet is coping, or at least pretending she is – she's very good at that. Meric and I are worried about her and, of course, running Keldabe and the clans is going to be difficult."  
She looked up at Bail, "You need to help Dred if you can Bail, for her sake if nothing else. He's not a terrorist, he's a warrior. These days that might seem a little old-fashioned but a good Jedi once told me that cultures don't die overnight."  
"Well, I always believed that it was worth listening to Obi-Wan when he was talking sense."  
Satine laughed. Then she became serious.  
"Do you find it easy, referring to him in the past tense?"  
Bail shook his head, "No, it always feels like a slip of the tongue."  
She nodded, "Good; it's good to remember examples and, as far as examples go, Obi-Wan was one of the best. Isabet always says, Mandolorians like to remember great warriors."  
"Really? We like to remember great friends."  
Then she smiled, "I hope you have a good trip Senator."  
Bail gave her a small bow, "Thank you Duchess, I hope so."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: In which the _Pioneer _picks up a passenger.

Six days later Bail Organa sat in a chair by a table outside the cantina in the square. Cereans all around him were going about their daily business and he soon gave up trying to watch every one of them. Of course, he didn't have to; he had back-up.  
A large, bulky figure in a huge cloak made its way between the tables and sat down. Beneath the hood was visible the grey, fierce face of a female Holwuff.  
"Senator," she intoned in a deep voice.  
Bail inclined his head in a nod. Rogwa Wodrata glanced around in a nervous fashion.  
"You're very trusting. I'm not sure I would be brave enough to come here alone – not when it could, so easily, be a trap."  
Bail smiled, "Fortunately Senator Wodrata, I didn't come here alone."  
Wodrata looked surprised for a second, "Then shouldn't we be going?"  
Bail shook his head, "Let me finish my drink Senator." One rule he'd learned working with Intelligence was to never appear rushed when you were. Even if you had been spotted already, it was best to leave them uncertain. Wodrata continued to look around in terror but Bail drank the rest of his drink in silence. Then she looked back at Bail:  
"I was sorry to hear of the death of the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi; he was a colleague of yours I believe."  
Bail put his glass down more heavily than before.  
"I'm glad you've chosen to help us – there are people I know who are relying on your offer of information but Senator, let us not pretend that you were not fully on the side of the Separatists when he was killed and therefore you were glad when you heard the news. The Operatives are giving you what you want; don't pretend to have sympathy for my friend."  
Wodrata, stunned by the force of his response, bit down further words.

Three Rodians and a Bith appeared beside their table, one of them holding a very large rifle over his shoulder.  
"This would be the Senator," the Bith said in rather broken Basic.  
"We have an employer who's paying a lot for you," the tallest Rodian added.  
"I think you four should leave us alone," Bail interrupted.  
They turned to him.  
"A Republican senator?" The leading Rodian said. "It's a good thing we aren't being paid to kill you. It would be best if you stayed out of this." At this he thrust his blaster under Bail's nose.  
Bail simply smiled, "I think you should know, you are now in trouble."  
A green blur leapt out of the cantina swinging a green lightsaber and crashed into the Rodians. As they fell backwards into the surrounding tables Kit Fisto turned to Bail and shrugged.  
"What? I told you I'd be intervening as soon as I thought you were in trouble."  
Bail's shoulders were shaking with laughter, "No complaints here but if I were you I'd be watching the Bith with the rifle."  
Kit's reaction was instantaneous as he swung his arm round, catching the Bith in the jaw. He then jumped at the Rodians who were picking themselves up.  
"I think we should leave," Bail said to Wodrata as he got to his feet. They made their way through the tables and down a side-street away from the square.  
"Will he kill them?" the Holwuff asked.  
"Don't worry," Bail assured her, "Kit doesn't use lethal force."  
A scream was heard, followed by the sound of crumpling metal.  
"On the other hand…" Bail said slowly.

They made it to the spaceport without running into anymore bounty hunters and found the ship hadn't been assaulted either. Padme and Captain Talek were standing at the foot of the boarding ramp, waiting for them.  
"Kit's finishing up a couple of things," Bail explained to Padme as she looked round for the Jedi.  
"Is he going to leave a mess behind us?" she asked.  
"It all rather depends on his mood," Bail replied.  
Five minutes later Kit arrived, rushing straight through to the cockpit to tell Talek and Sarchan to take off.  
"Did any of them survive?" Bail asked him as he came into the conference area.  
"All of them," Kit assured him. "A few bruises, some limbs hacked off…"  
He caught Bail's eye, "I'm kidding! I'm not allowed to joke?"  
"Not too much," Padme said.  
Kit gave a respectful nod to Wodrata, "Senator; might I express my thanks at your willingness to help us."  
The senator wrinkled her grey features into a frown, "Get me to Corescant alive and I'll tell the Chancellor and the Senate what I know. Until then, don't be so quick to call me helpful."  
Kit met her gaze steadily, "Bearing in mind that a man's freedom, possibly his life, is at stake we can promise to be as careful as possible."  
He sat down in a chair, not releasing her from his gaze. Her expression changed into a smile of sorts.  
"So," she said slowly, "the famous Operatives unit lives up to its reputation – even without your famous 'Negotiator'. No fear in the face of any challenge or difference in opinion – you will win the war by yourselves if you can."  
Padme rested a head on her hand, "If we could _end_ it, I should think we would."  
"Senator Organa," Talek said, poking his head around the doorframe, "We've entered hyperspace; we'll be at Coruscant in two days."  
"Wonderful," Kit said. "Of the all parts of these assignments I hate, the worst is being stuck in these tin cans for days on end."  
"Two days isn't too bad," Padme pointed out. "I miss Naboo all the time."  
"I'm not exactly missing my home world, just water and fresh air," Kit muttered.  
Bail got to his feet, "Sleep is probably the best way of passing the time. Before that, I want to call my wife."  
"I'll give you a call in eight hours," Padme assured him.

"You look very tired," Breha told him, the image of her gentle smile flickering.  
"Your reception must be better than mine," Bail sighed. "I miss you very much."  
"I know you do," she shook her head, "though I myself will feel a lot better once you are off that particular ship."  
"They've assured me they checked all the machinery before take-off."  
"That's what they said last time," she frowned. "Wasn't someone talking about sabotage last time."  
"I know – I think that was what Obi-Wan thought. Does it matter now?"  
She was watching him closely, "I wonder if you don't miss him as much."  
"Only because I know I'll never see him again."  
If they had been together Breha would have touched his hand that moment; he could hear the dejection in his own voice.  
"You need sleep. Call me when you get to Coruscant."  
"I will. I love you."  
He heard the footsteps approach as the hologram faded. Turning he found Senator Wodrata in the doorway.  
"Is there a problem Senator?"  
"I've been talking with your colleagues," she began.  
"I think they should be sleeping as well," Bail muttered.  
"I would wonder as to why you would join such a unit, if I did not know you to be part of the Loyalist Party; its leader in fact."  
"Do you have a point?" Bail's tone was sharp with irritation.  
"I'm sorry – I was surprised by your optimism, if that is the right term."  
"I'm still in the dark as to your point."  
"You believe that, if you win the war, you will reclaim that golden age that existed in peacetime. That is your optimism; and perhaps serving in this unit, you believe, will bring it closer – will make the prospect possible."  
Bail held her gaze, "If that is what I believe, what's wrong with it?"  
She smiled, "You thought we were foolish for leaving the Republic, that we were overreacting. Senator Organa, that Republic you want to reclaim is gone, forever. There are those who have gained too much from its fall; they will hold it under the water until the last breath of air leaves its lungs and there is nothing you can do but let it happen. That is the fate of your hopes."  
Bail turned away, "If that's all, I think you should go. Find something to do for the next two days."  
The footsteps told him she'd gone, leaving him with thoughts that would not let him be.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: In which hopes are dashed and reborn.

"We're landing in five minutes," Padme said, putting her head round Bail's door.  
"Right – have we told the Chancellor who we're bringing in?"  
"Pestage said he'd have a speeder waiting for us on the landing pad."  
"Pestage? Padme-"  
"I know, but the Chancellor was in a meeting and we had to compromise; at least we're closer to getting what we want."  
Bail got to his feet, "It's going to be a long day."  
He'd spent most of the trip out of the way of the Holwuff senator but the thoughts that had been swimming round in his brain since the day they'd picked her up hadn't disappeared. It was enough to give him a headache and he was quite sure it wouldn't go away in a hurry. He'd considered telling Padme about his concerns but every time the idea presented itself he'd squashed it. If there was anything he admired about Padme more than her courage it was the strength of her belief.  
Kit was waiting for them by the boarding ramp with Senator Wodrata, "Everybody ready?"  
"Just about," Bail assured him.  
"Should we be fussing over these theatrics?" Wodrata asked.  
"You think the Separatists will give up that easily?" Padme pointed out.  
Bail used the ship's interior comlink, "Talek, we're ready, get Sarchan to lower the boarding ramp."  
"Doing so now sir," Talek's voice replied. "I wish you the best of luck."  
"Thanks," Bail nodded to the others. "We're going in ladies and gentleman."  
The three Operatives descended the ramp onto the landing pad. Both Bail and Padme had their hands on their blasters, Kit was definitely ready for anything. Their eyes were scanning the cityscape around them, looking for anything. Bail glanced round at Kit:  
"Anything?"  
"Nothing I can see."  
"What about the Force?"  
Kit shook his head, "We're alright at the moment."  
Bail beckoned to the Holwuff senator who was still inside the ship. She came down as cautiously as they and he could tell she was afraid. All of a sudden his sympathy for her returned.  
"Welcome back to Coruscant Senator," he said.  
"It seems strange," she said. "It doesn't seem to have changed. But of course it has."

The shot came out of nowhere; Wodrata's head snapped back as the sniper shot entered her skull. For Bail the world spun slower. Padme and Kit pulled out their weapons, swinging round in readiness for a second shot, searching for their assailant. Bail's body would not move, not react – except to stare at the scene before him.  
Wodrata's body took far too long to fall.

"They didn't find the sniper," Kit said, coming down onto the veranda of Padme's apartment; Bail and Padme were sitting on the steps looking out at the city, each holding a glass.  
"Did they find anything?" Bail asked.  
"Of course not," Kit replied, "this was a professional job. Have you got a spare glass somewhere? It's not strictly allowed but I could do with something strong."  
Padme pointed at the cabinet by the wall, "Help yourself."  
Bail took a large gulp; his face was particularly dour.  
"I won't tell you what Pestage said," Kit added. "I was this close to punching him. Slimy, self-absorbed-"  
"Careful Kit," Padme warned him, "remember you're a Jedi and on the Council."  
Kit sat down next to them on the steps, "I know. It's been a bad day."  
"Understatement of the century," Padme muttered. She looked round at Bail, "Are you alright? That's your second glass."  
"I'm doing nothing worse than thinking," Bail assured her.  
They sat in silence for a while, looking at the cityscape gilded with a golden light from the setting sun. Thousands of light were starting to glow across the sky; a thousand others shot past them, a thousand people living, breathing and laughing.  
_But for a twist of fate_, Bail thought, _Wodrata could have been one of them. But for that same fate Dred Priest definitely would have been_.  
"We haven't had much luck lately have we?" Kit wondered aloud.  
"That's why the Chancellor won't talk to us," Padme pointed out.  
"We've been doing our best," Bail assured them, "it's just the world is confusing us – it happens to everyone."  
"So that's what you've been thinking," Kit commented.  
"I've been thinking that, considering all the time we spend fumbling through life, it's a wonder we haven't yet tried asking for directions."  
"Hello?" They all turned at the voice. Mace Windu was standing, slightly awkwardly, in the doorway. Bail noticed, out of the corner of his eye, Kit shifting his glass out of sight behind the column he was sitting beside.  
"Master Windu!" Padme got to her feet, "Would you like a drink?"  
He shook his head, "No, thank you Senator – I can't stay long. Something's happened."  
"Wodrata's death has caused trouble?" Kit asked.  
"No, nothing like that," Mace assured him. "The Separatist Senator's death will be propaganda by morning so it's no longer my business or yours. No, this is Jedi business that concerns you. Anakin Skywalker has just landed with Master Ki Adi Mundi."  
"He's back on Coruscant?" Padme asked.  
"Only just. He's brought someone with him – he picked up a couple of passengers, one of which he dropped off at the Kaliida Shoals Medical Station to re-join a fighting unit. The other he brought back to Coruscant."  
"Mace," Kit said with just a hint of irritation – a result of the alcohol perhaps, "we can tell you're desperate to tell us who it is Anakin has just brought to Coruscant so feel free to get on with it."  
Mace allowed his face to break into a smile, a grin, radiating joy in a way that was obvious to even a non-Jedi.  
"He found Obi-Wan Kenobi, alive and well, in the Outer Rim! Master Kenobi is currently in the Temple Halls of Healing and will be ready to receive visitors in the next couple of days!"  
Silence fell between the four of them for almost a whole minute. Then Kit let out a whoop of joy, only just matching in volume Padme's sudden cry. She turned and practically fell into Bail's arms, who was smiling and weeping all at the same time. Kit grabbed Mace into a hug, joined in the act by the other two and for some time they couldn't do anything more than laugh and cry.

Kit returned to Mace Windu to the Temple and Bail went back to his apartment shortly afterwards, leaving Padme to catch up on some sleep. He made a couple of calls and then made his way to his office in the early morning. Senators Mon Mothma, Bana Breemu, Giddean Danu and Fang Zar were waiting for him; perhaps he'd be having this conversation with more in time, but this gathering served as a beginning.  
"I appreciate you all coming at such short notice."  
He took a breath before continuing, "A very good friend of mine, one I believed dead, was returned home last night. He was a man I trusted and believed that, whatever he said, he was sincere in his belief. He believed we were fighting without purpose, that we weren't helping the Republic – perhaps that we were making the situation worse. I'm not sure he was right; I think he was too optimistic. Perhaps I'm being pessimistic, I don't know, but a former Chancellor died some months ago because he believed I'm right and because he tried to tell others what he believed. I wish I didn't, but I think I now believe what Valorum was telling us. I'm asking you all to help me; if you feel this is too much of a step to take, then so long as you say nothing, you are free to go now."  
No one in the room moved. Finally Danu said, "Are we trying to save the Republic?"  
"We should probably call it rebuilding," Bail replied. "Yes, I think we have to."

To his eternal shame he felt uncomfortable when, twenty four hours later, he saw his friend again. Obi-Wan looked thinner, there were scars on his face that showed only preliminary signs of healing and he was transparently weary. They sat in the gardens of meditation of the Jedi Temple – a strange place of beautiful plants and streams in the centre of the city-wide planet, made all the more stranger by the prostrate figure of Depa Billaba lying in a rose bed some metres away.  
"There's something I should tell you, that I'm not sure anyone else will have told you," Bail began, "and please believe me when I say that there is no part of this I enjoy-"  
"I know what you're going to say," Obi-Wan said quietly.  
"About Taria Damsin?"  
"Yes, I knew."  
"You knew?"  
Obi-Wan shrugged, "I can sense the deaths on an exploding ship several hundred miles away without trying – I could sense her calling out to me as she finally slipping away. She was so afraid…"  
His voice trailed off a little.  
"I'm sorry," Bail said quietly. "After all you've been through you shouldn't have to deal with this as well."  
Obi-Wan chuckled a little. Bail looked around at him, "What?"  
"It's all just rather absurd sometimes – my situation, for so many reasons. Because of the very different worlds we live in you and I are two people who were never supposed to even meet; and yet as everything crashes down around us we're still standing here in the path of the storm – to weather it or be destroyed like everyone else. Makes you wonder if we really are crazy after all."  
"Oh I think that's a given," Bail laughed. "We've all missed you."  
"And I've missed this. Things have happened that have meant that I've not looked on this place as my home for some time. For the moment at least, it feels that way again; I'll enjoy it while I can."  
He pulled himself off the ground as carefully as he could, "You'd better get me back inside; for the present at least, I must adhere to Vokara Che and her routine of concern."  
Bail got to his feet as well, "Just get better Obi-Wan; get better and come back to work."

* * *

**A.N.** Hopefully it came across that Wodrata has accidentally sown the seeds of the distrust that will one day become the Rebel Alliance; in any case, she has put the Loyalists on the offensive they were on in the deleted scenes in Episode 3. Phase two is over, Obi-Wan is back and we are on the home stretch. Hang in there anyone who is following this series and please review!


End file.
